We went all the ‘weigh’ to YF HQ to chew the fat with Youfoodz Executive Chef, Aaron on how he recently lost 30kg!

Tell us about your weight-loss journey, Aaron

I never really took the time to actually look at myself in the mirror, it was only when I was shaving. One day I took a step back and really looked at myself in the mirror and that was the wakeup call for me. It was like someone else was staring back at me, so I knew it was time for me to make a change.

I felt lethargic, slow and I lost my confidence in front of people – that’s just not me!

I’m now currently down 30kg. I’m not intending on losing any more weight – I’m now going to rebuild my body.

Youfoodz Chef Aaron

Did you have any specific goals?

I set goals at the start of the year, but my weight-loss journey only began at the end of July and really kicked in late August. I set out at the beginning of the year with an end goal of losing 15kg. Unfortunately, by July, I actually put on 5kg, so my goal changed to 20kg. Since then, I’ve lost 30kg.

I set myself a goal of a minimum 20,000 steps a day, which is double what the recommended daily steps are!

Let’s talk food and exercise changes – how did you do it?

I guess I started looking at my nutrition first of all. I made sure I always had breakfast, never skipped meals, and had protein shakes in between as I dropped my unhealthy snacks.

Part of my goal was dropping dairy, salt, and sugar during the week.

I’d still go out and have a drink or dinner at my favourite restaurant on the weekends. I’d cut it out during the week and just get less on the weekends. Getting that healthy balance was big for me.

I trained every day and did a minimum of two hours of exercise. I started off with jogging just 3km a day, I got to 6km, then to 8km. Now, I’m hitting 14km a day – not to mention some bike work, weights, and floor work.

Youfoodz Chef Aaron running to keep fit

How did you stay motivated?

If you believe that you’re going to make a change and you look at yourself in the future as oppose to now, you’ll get there! Day by day it may not feel like you’re getting there, but your end goal isn’t far away. Each day is a contribution to that end game.

After two months, I started to see a real change in my body. After 12 weeks, I started seeing a drastic weight drop. I was a little bit flat but since then, I’ve started to tone up. It was really about just keeping focus on that end goal.

Remember, if it’s not fun anymore, it means that you’re not really invested anymore.

Find ways to make it fun, whether its training, running, walking, swimming, or even throwing a tennis ball to your dog – it’s all going to contribute in the end.

What were the biggest changes to your lifestyle that you had to make?

The important thing for me was actually the eating. As a chef, you graze all day, you’re tasting different things; making time to sit down to eat a meal was important.

I think that other thing was actually making that time for myself. Have a regime that you meet and make sure that you meet those goals! Don’t let anyone be a speed bump or make excuses so that you can’t.

Don’t starve yourself of the things that you like, just eat less of it, and don’t eat it every day.

What was the hardest part?

I think one of the hardest obstacles throughout my weight-loss journey has been balance. It’s quite easy to get lost, wound up back into your old routine, or head back to the fridge to grab a can of soft drink rather than go out for a run.

Those rainy, wet, and cold days running were a challenge – especially running when it’s blowing a gale. These are all definitely obstacles, but I did it anyway. I made the time to do it.

What are the most noticeable differences to your body and lifestyle since you’ve lost weight?

Obviously, I look a bit different now! I think that the most noticeable change was that I’m not as lethargic or tired anymore, I feel better about myself, and my confidence is back. I’m a lot happier, there’s time now to have a bit of a laugh and enjoy life more.

How did you keep yourself accountable?

To keep myself honest, I kept a diary. It allowed me to make sure that everything I ate and put into my mouth I calculated for.

What are your fave clean and healthy YF meals?

I love the Chicken & Crunchy Noodle Salad for a light lunch and the Clean Chicken & Broccoli for dinner – I mostly stuck to our Clean Meals (under 350 calories). They are really lovely and fresh, and the sauce makes the flavour really pop!

I also love the Teriyaki Chicken and Tokyo Potatoes – it’s a bit of a ‘cheat meal’ [i.e. from our ‘Relaxed’ range] but it’s definitely one that I go to before a big training session.

Youfoodz Chef Aaron eating Youfoodz

What’s the best advice you can give to someone looking to lose weight?

If you really want to lose weight, set something you can achieve. Maybe set three goals and start with the smallest, most manageable one.

Like the start of my journey, I started with a 3km run, then one day, I thought, ‘I might run 5km’ and now I run a ridiculous amount – 14km! All those baby steps add up!

Make sure you keep it fun – it’s about you, your lifestyle, and your future.

If you want to make a change, follow in Aaron’s footsteps with the #YF7030!

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